Valentine’s Day is the excuse you needed to prepare a fabulously rich chocolate dessert (no date required). Skip the box of chocolates and save your sweet tooth for our chocolate mud cake, molten puddings, brownies, mousse and more. Here are the chocolate desserts that will have you and your date swooning.
Be the favourite guest at your next dinner party by bringing these delicious chocolate brownie puddings. Chocolate is the hero in this dessert, with a chewy chocolate brownie base dolloped with velvety-smooth chocolate custard before being topped with light and crispy corn flakes for a bit of crunch. This is an edited extract from I’ll Bring Dessert by Benjamina Ebuehi, published by Quadrille. Photography by Laura Edwards.
"Salty peanuts, rich chocolate and smooth caramel, all in the one dessert... How can you stop at one slice?" - Tracey Pattison
"This melt-and-mix recipe has a sturdy structure which actually improves with age (you can wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for 1-2 weeks; it just gets fudgier and fudgier), making it the perfect choice for a stacked celebration cake." – Emelia Jackson. You'll need to start this recipe a day ahead, and you’ll need a piping bag with a large round nozzle.
This delicious no-bake chocolate and caramel fudge is the perfect sweet treat for easy entertaining.
“Chocolate mud cake is such an easy cake to make, and one that yields truly impressive results. Once you’ve melted together the wet ingredients, be sure to let them cool completely before adding in the flour. This will ensure you don’t get a gummy texture. A little hack to speeding up this process is to use fridge-cold eggs. This needs to be baked low and slow – it needs time to set. After all, it is predominantly made from chocolate, butter and sugar. Don’t be tempted to increase the oven temperature.” – Emelia Jackson. You'll need to start this recipe at least 6 hours ahead, and you’ll need a 20cm round, 7cm-deep cake pan.
Grapes are at their peak right now, look for firm, bright fruit for a sweet juicy snack.
Matt Preston shares his take on the classic French dessert, Poire Belle Hélène.
This super-easy chocolate pancake recipe with luscious homemade fudge sauce is the ideal weekend breakfast or brunch idea, and also works perfectly as a quick midweek dessert.
A triple-threat of desserts, this simple chocolate fudge pudding oozes indulgence topped with a sweet, homemade butterscotch sauce. You’ll need to start this recipe 3 hours ahead, and you’ll need a 18cm x 26cm x 6cm-deep baking dish.
"I love a good flourless chocolate cake and have developed quite a few of them over the years, all slightly different in texture and taste. As the name suggests, this version is more mousse-like. Airy and light with warming spices and macerated oranges, it’s a great one for the festive season." – Benjamina Ebuehi. This is an edited extract from I’ll Bring Dessert by Benjamina Ebuehi, published by Quadrille. Photography by Laura Edwards.
An easy recipe for entertaining or family baking, this delicious and simple choc-hazelnut fudge brownie is sure to win hearts... and tummies.
Chocolate and caramel rule in this easy layer cake. Perfect as a birthday cake idea or for special celebrations, you can be sure that there won’t be any leftovers. You’ll need 2 x 20cm round cake pans for this recipe.
"This is a warm, sweet, sticky pudding that’s the sort of dessert you scooch over to the sofa for. Think sticky toffee pud but a little different. The tahini brings a gorgeous nutty flavour and there’s a gentle hint of chocolate here that isn’t too overwhelming. Scoop this generously into bowls and let it soak up lots of toffee-like chocolate sauce." – Benjamina Ebuehi. This is an edited extract from I’ll Bring Dessert by Benjamina Ebuehi, published by Quadrille. Photography by Laura Edwards.
“This cake can be served without icing and just a light dusting of cocoa powder, or dressed up to the nines, as it is here.” – Yotam Ottolenghi
"I love this recipe, because it’s so simple and quick to whip up. The texture of the tart is so fun, and the flakes of salt on top are the perfect finishing touch." - Kimmy Gastmeier
Fuel your coffee and chocolate addictions.
